When it comes to insurance, providers with policies for a variety of purposes, such as car, home and travel, are often the first names that spring to mind due to their prevalence within the market. However, thanks to our 20,000 travel insurance reviews, from customers like you, we can reveal that it’s actually the insurers that operate solely in the travel insurance niche that get the best scores.

The importance of travel insurance

Whether you're travelling overseas or within the UK, travel insurance is really important, however choosing a policy can be daunting. With a multitude of policies available from a wide range of providers, it can be hard to tell if you’re getting the best deal for your requirements.

Although we hope every trip is smooth-sailing, there are many unavoidable problems that can arise. With increasing numbers of flight cancellations, airline staff shortages, and Covid outbreaks, it’s never been more important to ensure you have the right cover for your trip in order to deal with any unforeseen problems, efficiently and effectively.

The best (and worst) types of travel insurers

From the reviews left on the Smart Money People website, we’ve been able to analyse 91 travel insurance providers, finding that the providers that typically receive the best scores are those that solely offer travel policies, with an average score of 4.85 out of 5.

Specialist travel insurers know their sector and their customers inside out, and because it’s the only thing they do, it gets their undivided attention.

Providers offering multiple types of insurance were next in line, collectively receiving an average rating of 4.63.

General providers that also offer other non-insurance products, such as banking and financial services, scored lower, with an average rating of 3.81.

The lowest scorers were banks and other companies with a banking licence, receiving an average travel insurance rating of 2.30 over the same 5-year period (although it’s worth noting that the sample size is much smaller for services of this nature).

With some credit cards or bank accounts, you could be offered a complimentary travel insurance policy. Although this may seem like a money-saving win, it’s vital to check the terms and coverage of the insurance, as it may not be the most comprehensive policy if you do need to claim.

Check reviews before purchasing

We advise that you always check customer reviews for your prospective provider before purchasing a policy. Whilst specialist travel insurance providers as a whole receive good reviews, these are averages which means that some will still be better than others.

Taking a trip? Read the reviews for our top-rated travel insurance companies. Or have a browse through all of our travel insurance reviews.